Balaklava Bay in the Crimea. Balaklava Bay - the base of submarines

Balaklava Bay is the eighth wonder of the world. At least, so the inhabitants of the Crimea believe. You can agree with them, because this is really an extraordinary place.

The Balaklava bay appeared due to a tectonic fault. The entrance to it is between the capes of George and Kouron. The bay has a curved shape, it is hidden by mountains, almost invisible from the sea. The water in the bay is always calm, no matter what storms are raging on the high seas. This phenomenon is associated with the natural form of the bay. It resembles the letter S. Balaklava bay in Crimea, undoubtedly, is one of the most visited sights.

Description

The bay is small - its length is 1500 meters, and the maximum width is 425 meters. The depth of the Balaklava bay ranges from 5 to 36 meters. A narrow meandering entrance to the harbor makes it almost invisible from the sea. Thanks to this, the Balaklava bay has long been not only a refuge from enemies, but also a protection against storms. Another such natural harbor is not on the Black Sea.

History

The shores of Balaklava Bay people have been inhabited since time immemorial. In the VI century BC. Here lived ferocious brands, much later in these places the ancient Greeks settled. They gave the bay the name Sumbolon Limen, which in translation means "harbor of symbols, portents."

It was in this bay of the brave Odyssey that the comrades were met by bloodthirsty lystrongs. Many experts believe that this was the very same tribe of Taurians, which lived here since ancient times. The Taurians lived by the sea and actually had a severe temper. It is unclear whether Homer could describe the Balaklava Bay. While researchers do not find documentary evidence of this. Mention of this amazing place is found in the works of authoritative authors who lived in the first centuries of our era - Arriane, Strabo Pliny the Elder, Ptolemy. But none of them mentioned any settlement, especially about the city.

In the XVII century, Russia became a powerful empire, and it began a serious struggle for access to the Black Sea with Turkey. Controlled the situation in Tavrik Russia since 1772. Historically, the sea battle of Balaklava (1773), which courageous Russian sailors won with honor from the Turks, although the superiority was on the side of the enemy, became an important moment.

In 1774, having signed a peace treaty with Russia, Turkey officially recognized the independence of the Crimean peninsula. In 1783, Catherine II signed a decree on the annexation of the Crimea to Russia.

During the Crimean War, English soldiers were in the Balaklava Bay. The British built here the first railway on the Crimean peninsula. In the town of Balaklava there were hotels, shops, entertainment establishments. The pier was built on both sides of the bay.

During the Second World War for fascists was the desired prey of the Crimea. Balaklava bay with a very convenient harbor was very attractive to the Germans. To capture it, the fascists sent the 72nd Infantry Division supported by tanks.

The first assault was attempted to repel the battalion of the NKVD, which broke through to the city in early November 1941, the soldiers of the 514th Regiment of the Maritime Army and the marines. With huge losses defenders retreated to the Genoese fortress. As in ancient times the fortress of Cembalo became the last defensive stronghold of Balaklava.

The defenders of the fortress, who took up the defense on November 20, reflected in a few months up to 70 Nazi attacks, while not losing a single fighter. In April 1944, the Soviet Army approached the defensive lines of the enemy, and on April 18 the city was liberated.

Postwar years

After the war, life in this picturesque corner changed. The Balaklava bay also underwent changes. The base of submarines was created in this place hidden from prying eyes. Balaklava became one of the most secret military bases in the USSR. Placed here submarines in the 60's equipped with nuclear weapons. In the thickness of the rock on the western shore of the bay, a secret plant for the repair of submarines was built.

Balaklava and Balaklava Bay

This small town is near Sevastopol, near a small bay of the same name, hidden by rocky mountains. A long and eventful history and beautiful nature attract scientists, researchers and tourists to this place. The history of Balaklava is more than 2500 years old, although some scientists are sure that the city is much older.

In ancient times this settlement was well outside the Crimea. This is evidenced by Greek, Arab, Polish geographers and travelers. There is a version that Balaklava - this is the same legendary port of lystrong Lamos, known by ancient Greek mythology as the habitat of the giant cannibals that Odysseus and his comrades had to face during their wanderings. The beauty of this place is unique: unique natural monuments - the capes of Aya and Fiolent, the ruins of the Cembalo fortress, ancient and mysterious temples, covered with beautiful legends, will not leave anyone indifferent.

At the end of the XIX century Balaklava began to develop as a resort. Here were built dachas princes Yusupov and Gagarins, Count Naryshkin, a luxurious villa of Prince Apraksin. The first mud baths in the city were opened in 1888, and in 1896 the first power station appeared there.

By 1911 in Balaklava there were two zemstvo and one rural school, four churches, a post station, a hospital, a cinema, a library, a city meeting, a city club, a drama theater. The townspeople were engaged in tobacco growing and viticulture, fishing, lime extraction and building stone.

Since 1921, Balaklava was the center of the Balaklava region of Crimea's autonomy. Since 1957, Balaklava is part of the city of Sevastopol and is the center of its largest region - Balaklava.

In our time, Balaklava attracts tourists and travelers with its cultural and historical heritage. Every year the traditional international regatta "Kaira" is held here. Before the fortress of Chembalo, knight tournaments are held. Fans of diving will be delighted, discovering the amazing and fascinating underwater world of these places.

Balaklava Bay is a great place for those who want to relax from the city's bustle. You can take the necessary things and products and on a boat or boat to cross to the wild beach, which is right among the rocks.

Balaklava bay, attractions of Balaclava

As a rule, guests begin to explore the sights of the city from the underground submarine base, which was top secret during the Cold War.

It was used to repair and service submarines. There was also a nuclear weapons storage facility. This is the most large-scale declassified military facility.

The factory is built in Tavros mountain. It is capable of withstanding a nuclear attack with a 100-kiloton bomb, there were 3,000 workers deployed here. Today it is the naval museum of Balaklava. Here is the exhibition Sheremetyev "Crimean War".

Cembalo Fortress

This defensive structure was built by the Genoese. Slopes and the top of the mountain Katrona (Greek name) are occupied by fortifications. Today the main tower of the fortress is almost destroyed. To the fortress Cembalo are artificially created trails and staircases that originate from the embankment of Nazukin.

Aya

This is the southern coastal cape of the Crimea, located near Balaklava. Its name comes from the Greek word, which is literally translated as "holy." This is a steep ledge reaching the base of Mount Kush-Kaya, its highest point is Kokiya-Kiya (557 meters).

At the foot of Cape Aya are grottoes, which have been used for a long time by the Black Sea Fleet sailors for setting up and adjusting naval guns.

The cape is covered with a sparse forest, which represents unique Mediterranean plants (about 500 species). The fauna of this territory is quite diverse - stone marten, weasel, roe deer, mountaineer fox, wild boars, leopard skid.

Since 1982 a landscape reserve has been organized on the cape.

Temple of the Twelve Apostles

This is the oldest religious construction of the Orthodox church in the Crimea is located very close to the Balaklava embankment. The temple portal is decorated with a colonnade. In Soviet times, the temple was closed, the service in it was held only in the years of the Second World War. After the great victory in the building of the temple were the House of Pioneers and the club Osoaviakhim. Only in the 90s the church was transferred to the Orthodox Church, then large-scale reconstruction works began.

The temple is small in size, but full of light. This expands the space and gives greatness to the white walls, on which there is absolutely no decor.

In the temple, fragments of the relics of Blessed Basil and St. Sergius of Radonezh are kept.